1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to labels to be attached, typically by a pressure sensitive adhesive, to packages and containers such as cans, bottles, jars, boxes, etc. More specifically, the invention relates to multi-ply labels, capable of multiple openings and reclosures, for providing extended text and graphics that may be viewed by the consumer, while minimizing adverse impact on the manufacturer's package or container design.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, packages and containers have utilized multi-ply and/or folded multi-panel, re-sealable labels as secondary elements of the container. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,896,834, 1,924,909, and 2,127,081 to Brown, U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,608 to Denny et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,229 to Glibbery, U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,582 to Howard, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,592,572, 4,711,686, 4,726,972, 4,744,161, 4,744,161, 4,744,591, and 4,830,406 to Instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,621,442 and 4,621,837 to Mack, U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,234 to Sorensen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,273 to Kobayashi, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,595 to Hill et al.
The inventions disclosed in the above patents address the informational needs of the manufacturer without regard to certain consumer sensitivities and/or regulatory concerns. Specifically, all of the inventions referenced in the above patents that offer re-closure rely on a tacky pressure sensitive adhesive for re-sealability. This construction: (a) requires that the consumer actively re-fold and apply pressure to re-seal the label; and (b) allows the possibility of contamination of the tacky adhesive with dirt, oil, etc. from the consumer's skin. Additionally, many of the above inventions involve, as an opening mechanism, the tearing of a perforation, which is not considered consumer-friendly or cosmetically desirable by manufacturers.